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Topics
Multiple Topics per Question Each Quizcover question is assigned to (at a minimum) "Overall", also known as "King of the Topics": In addition, most questions are assigned to one or more topics such as the following ones (just examples): Single-Topic Gameplay The topics shown in the previous section are playable in single-topic mode: you can play a single-player session with all topics chosen from one such topic, or a duel where all questions are selected from that topic. With respect to separately-playable topics, Quizcover also provides rankings, and you can reach an ever higher level in each such topic. Quizcover's initial set of separately-playable topics (besides "Overall") includes the four topics shown in the previous section as well as "Movies, TV, Radio" and "Sports". Additional topics will become playable later. Quizcover has thousands of topics that are not separately playable (at least for now; more and more of them will become playable at some point). If a topic isn't separately playable, you can't build a level in such a topic and there aren't any rankings related to it, but the topic can nevertheless appear on the Countdown Screen, where the sole purpose is to inform players in advance of what the upcoming question relates to. Chosen Topic vs. Windfall Points With respect to the chosen topic of gameplay, you can make progress in all areas (level, rankings of all sorts, streaks/superstreaks). The points you collect in all other separately-playable topics a question is assigned to are called "windfall points" because you get them along the way without making a dedicated effort to obtain them (like fruit blown down by the wind). Windfall points count for all-time rankings and levels, but not for periodic rankings (annual, monthly, weekly, daily), streaks, and superstreaks. For example, if you wish to build a History streak, or if you seek to move up in a limited-period (annual, monthly, weekly, daily) History ranking, then you must choose History as your topic of gameplay. This rule also applies to Overall. There are conceptual reasons for which the impact of windfall points must be limited (for example, too many people would enter certain rankings without actually having any ambition to compete in them). And other trivia games typically don't offer any windfall points (they let you score only in the topic you've chosen to play). Unique Status of "Overall" While it can be very interesting and rewarding to play in single-topic mode, "Overall" is the "King of the Topics" for the following reasons: * Your "Overall" level determines the level bonus you get when scoring on a question. * The higher your "Overall" level, the more features you get or, when you've already activated all features, you get certain gifts (such as free boosters) when reaching a higher "Overall" level. * While we all have our likes and dislikes, and strengths and weaknesses, the most desirable kind of general knowledge is broadbased. Therefore, it is particularly desirable to climb to the top of an "Overall" ranking. * Building long streaks and superstreaks is hardest in "Overall" since there will always be questions from fields in which it is harder for you to score than in some others. Hierarchical Structure of Topics Topics in Quizcover can have parent topics and subtopics, somewhat comparable to the directories/folders in a file management system. Topics that are at the highest level apart from Overall, such as History or Sports, are called main topics (unless they are cross-topics, a term explained in the next section). The topics shown on the Countdown Screen are typically (exceptions prove the rule) a main topic and one or two topics below that main topic. Cross-Topics Quizcover distinguishes between genuine topics and cross-topics. A genuine topic is a field of knowledge that can be broader (such as "Music"), moderately narrow ("U.S. Geography", "Actors and Actresses"), or very narrow ("TV News"). A cross-topic is a mix of questions from entirely unrelated fields of knowledge with a common aspect such as "Famous Women" (famous female politicians, athletes, musicians, actresses, businesswomen, scientists...) or "1980s" (anything from that decade, be it politics, music, movies/TV, sports, or whatever). "Famous For What?" and "Famous Women" are the two cross-topics that are most likely to appear on the Countdown Screen from time to time. Over time, Quizcover will make many cross-topcis separately playable, which will enable players to compete in rankings related to them, and to build streaks and superstreaks.